In recent years, computer systems have become increasingly mobile. A recent study indicated over 24% of U.S. households own at least one laptop computer. In an attempt to meet this demand, original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) have introduced “laptop class” mice and other mobile specific hardware peripherals that are generally more compact than their desktop counterparts. While such advances have greatly improved mobile computing, adequate mobile software components are lagging. One illustration of this lag is readily apparent to users when they attempt to quickly and efficiently alter computer settings when at various locations. The problem is not isolated with mobile computers as even with stationary computing environments, rapidly adjusting common settings may become an arduous task.
Currently, in many computing environments, the operating system and machine settings are scattered in various control panels (“CPLs”) throughout the system, often in distinct and incompatible graphical user interfaces. In most instances, these settings are not in obvious and discoverable locations. For example, one software application may require the user to first execute the entire application, select an options menu and manually adjust a setting, while another may still then require the user to adjust another related setting in a central settings depot, such as Control Panel in Microsoft® Windows® operating system. Indeed, even once a user accesses Control Panel, they must still navigate through numerous options to alter the desired setting.
In contrast, the great majority of mobile users change the environment and context around their machines, and therefore need to modify settings on an on-going basis to adapt to changing conditions and locations; and navigating constantly between the scattered settings UI is tedious and annoying.